The inventive concepts relate to magnetic memory devices and, more particularly, to magnetic memory devices having perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions therein.
High speed and/or low voltage semiconductor memory devices have been demanded with the development of high speed and/or low power consumption electronic devices including semiconductor memory devices. To satisfy these demands, a magnetic memory device has been suggested. The magnetic memory device has high speed and/or non-volatile characteristics, so as to be spotlighted as a next generation semiconductor memory device.
Generally, the magnetic memory device may include a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pattern. The MTJ pattern may include two magnetic layers and an insulating layer disposed therebetween. A resistance value of the MTJ pattern may be changed depending on magnetization directions of the two magnetic layers. For example, if the magnetization directions of the two magnetic layers are anti-parallel to each other, the MTJ pattern may have a high resistance value. If the magnetization directions of the two magnetic layers are parallel to each other, the MTJ pattern may have a low resistance value. Logical data may be written/read using a difference between the high and low resistance values of the MTJ pattern.
High integrated and/or low power consumption magnetic memory devices have been increasingly demanded with the development of an electronic industry. Thus, various researches are being conducted for magnetic memory devices capable of satisfying the demands.